HHS senior finishes career with 12 total state titles (two team, 10 individual)

From staff reports

Published: Friday, May 10, 2013 at 12:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 10, 2013 at 12:04 p.m.

A writer for the high school track and field website NCRunners.com wrote this about Hendersonville senior Hailey Cook prior to Friday's 1-A state championship at N.C. A&T: Go watch her throw, because you will see something memorable.

And those in attendance did.

Cook started the day with a 1-A state meet-record throw of 146 feet, 6 inches in the discus for her first state title of the day. She followed that up with a toss of 43 feet, 3.5 inches in the shot put, giving her 10 individual state track and field titles.

The Western Carolina signee was only 1.25 inches shy of the shot put record of 43-4.75 set by Bessemer City's Shanara Mintz in 2002.

Cook swept both events at the outdoor meet all four years of her high school career and added two indoor shot put titles. She also was a part of two team state championships in volleyball (2012) and outdoor track and field (2011).

Cook's two state titles were the only points (20) scored by the Hendersonville girls on Friday.

Elizabeth Lackey just missed getting points by finishing in the ninth spot in the 3,200-meter run.

Hendersonville senior Grant Rivers nearly won his third straight high jump title, but ended up falling in a close battle with Samuel Allen of West Wilkes. Allen took the title with a height of 6-8, and Rivers was runner-up at 6-6.

Rivers, who is headed to N.C. State in the fall, finished third in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.13 seconds, and he was fifth in the long jump with a leap of 20-9. Two of his teammates also scored points in the long jump: Rishad Felton was seventh, and Desean Jackson was eighth.

The Bearcat 3,200 relay team of Ian Gerrits, Morgan Jackson, Scott Mew and Drew Schweikert finished in seventh place, and Ethan Nix was fifth in the pole vault, giving the HHS boys a total of 28 points, good enough for ninth overall.

<p>A writer for the high school track and field website NCRunners.com wrote this about Hendersonville senior Hailey Cook prior to Friday's 1-A state championship at N.C. A&T: Go watch her throw, because you will see something memorable.</p><p>And those in attendance did.</p><p>Cook started the day with a 1-A state meet-record throw of 146 feet, 6 inches in the discus for her first state title of the day. She followed that up with a toss of 43 feet, 3.5 inches in the shot put, giving her 10 individual state track and field titles.</p><p>The Western Carolina signee was only 1.25 inches shy of the shot put record of 43-4.75 set by Bessemer City's Shanara Mintz in 2002.</p><p>Cook swept both events at the outdoor meet all four years of her high school career and added two indoor shot put titles. She also was a part of two team state championships in volleyball (2012) and outdoor track and field (2011).</p><p>Cook's two state titles were the only points (20) scored by the Hendersonville girls on Friday. </p><p>Elizabeth Lackey just missed getting points by finishing in the ninth spot in the 3,200-meter run.</p><p>Hendersonville senior Grant Rivers nearly won his third straight high jump title, but ended up falling in a close battle with Samuel Allen of West Wilkes. Allen took the title with a height of 6-8, and Rivers was runner-up at 6-6.</p><p>Rivers, who is headed to N.C. State in the fall, finished third in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.13 seconds, and he was fifth in the long jump with a leap of 20-9. Two of his teammates also scored points in the long jump: Rishad Felton was seventh, and Desean Jackson was eighth.</p><p>The Bearcat 3,200 relay team of Ian Gerrits, Morgan Jackson, Scott Mew and Drew Schweikert finished in seventh place, and Ethan Nix was fifth in the pole vault, giving the HHS boys a total of 28 points, good enough for ninth overall.</p><p>Heide Trask won the boys team title, and Monroe won the girls title.</p><p>Complete results can be found <a href="http://durhamstriders.com/results/13nchsaa1a/">here</a>.</p>